1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to enhanced recovery and on demand remote controllability from a well. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved apparatus that enhances recovery in oil and gas wells by employing regulated flow devices and techniques and optionally in combination the addition of fluid enhancing additives as well as remote controlling of the amount of fluid and gas to a particular user. Further, the invention provides for a web based on demand control of fuel and/or power.
2. Related Art
As was discussed in applicant""s copending application U.S. Ser. No. 09/057,039 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,946 and co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 09/196,502, each well has its own predetermined optimal recovery conditions which are determined by the natural geological formation of the well. When a successful well is drilled, there is usually enough gas-volume to fluid-ratio and bottom hole pressure to create a natural flow from the well. This ability to flow at a certain velocity to insure fluids are lifted is termed xe2x80x9ccritical flow rate.xe2x80x9d The ability to substantially maintain or simulate natural flow conditions is critical in optimizing recovery.
Under the natural flow pressure, fluid flow is created by virtue of the liquid being broken up into small units by gas existing therein and is carried to the surface due to a fluid xe2x80x9clighteningxe2x80x9d effect under gaseous expansion to achieve critical flow rate. The combined gas and liquid are transferred via an upstream flow line to a fluid/gas separator which is designed to remove the liquid into storage tanks and remove the gas to a downstream sales flow line which commonly connects with a utility service provider at what is more commonly referred to as the pipeline.
Unfortunately, in new tight gas sand wells or older wells having reduced reserve volumes, and pressure in the well depletes during the flow cycle and negatively impacts the optimal recovery conditions and flow needed to achieve critical flow rates. As a result, typically only part of the oil and gas contained in the underground formation by a primary recovery method which uses the natural flow force present in the reservoir is possible. A variety of enhanced recovery techniques such as artificial lift systems, so-called secondary or tertiary recovery methods, have been employed to increase the recovery of oil and gas from subterranean reservoirs.
A common artificial lift, secondary recovery method includes a combination of shutting in the well for a period of time to allow for pressure build up and allowing a plunger to drop to the bottom of the well and then opening the well causing the plunger to drive the fluid to the surface. Another such enhanced recovery technique is to use a pump truck to pump additives into the oil well-bore. These additives can, for example, reduce scale, paraffine and the viscosity of the oil and increase production of oil recovery.
A problem with these prior techniques is the lack of proper control in order to carry out those techniques during initiation and slow down of flow within a well. Also, waste can occur downstream in that metering devices of service providers to which the downstream sales flow line connects do not properly meter or record spikes (temporary large amounts of gas over that recordable by the meter) which occur during the other recovery methods. In this regard, care must be taken to maintain optimal recovery conditions in carrying out other recovery methods.
Applicant""s prior said applications are directed at solving a significant part of the aforementioned problems by providing an apparatus which controls the flow within the downstream sales line as well as remote control thereof. There remains a need to improve upon enhancing oil and gas recovery techniques as well as the method such recovered oil and gas is obtained and delivered. There is a further need to improve the method of delivery of fuel to remote users.
It is an object to control well production via a remote control device which is preferably web based.
It is an object of the present invention to further enhance fluid and gas flow in a well.
It is another object to improve the apparatus for enhancing fluid and gas flow in a well.
It is still another object to artificially induce optimal recovery conditions in a well, while maintaining its flow at a measurable rate.
Yet another object is to establish flow patterns which improve the promotion of fluid break up into droplets and thus prevent fluid from falling back into the well during well shut-in periods.
It is another object to improve marketing and delivery of fuel and/or power.
Accordingly in one embodiment, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for enhancing fluid and gas flow in a recovery includes an upstream flow line communicably connected at one end to the well in a manner to receive fluid and gas therefrom. A fluid and gas separator communicably connects to another end of the upstream flow line in a manner to receive fluid and gas flow therefrom. A downstream sales flow line communicably connects to the fluid and gas separator in a manner to receive gas flow therefrom. A control valve is operably disposed in the upstream flow line.
A local controller device operably controllably connects to the control valve in a manner to permit regulated flow through the upstream flow line at a predetermined amount and has a communications device associated therewith. A remote controller device having a communications device therewith is also provided, wherein the local controller device and remote controller device communicate with one another to enable remote control of the control valve. The remote controller device preferably includes a web-based server-client computer system enabling on demand control of fluid and gas flow.
A pressure differential control is operably disposed in the downstream sales line for comparatively sensing pressure differential in the downstream sales line about a restricted region in the downstream sales flow line which is operably controllably connected to the control valve in a manner to permit regulated flow through the upstream flow line at a predetermined amount in response to the sensed pressure differential.
Another aspect of the invention includes the introduction via the remote control of the well production and power via a web-based client-server system. For example, remote control of additives into the well-bore can be added to increase recovery, wherein the additives are activated and controlled by flow patterns established therein. A shut-in timer of the well may be remotely controlled and locally generated power can be controlled and distributed via the present invention.
The invention includes sensors for gathering data corresponding to at least one of weather, chemical requirements, down-hole status, real-time metering, service requirements, and geological characteristics about of the well and well site and transmitting the data to the web-based remote controller. The web-based remote controller includes a receiver and processor for receiving and manipulating the data to produce web-based reports corresponding thereto.
The invention also provides a sensor for sensing flow rate at the well communicating the flow rate to the web-based remote controller which receives and displays the sensed flow rate. Still another sensor is proved at the well site for sensing service requirements and the web-based remote controller has means for receiving and displaying the service requirement. The web-based remote controller automatically initiates a service call. There is also a sensor for sensing security breach at the well and the web-based remote controller has means for receiving and displaying the security breach.
The invention includes third party access operably connected to the web-based remote controller for allowing a third party to access on the web-based remote controller. The third party access can have various levels of predetermined access restrictions. The invention also includes software on the web-based remote controller for generating web-based reports including at least one of bulletin board information, trading information and programs, regulations requirement, geology evaluations, derivatives, reserve studies, and due diligence, post nominations and post to accounting.
A method of the present invention includes the steps of controllably delivering fluid and gas from a well in a single inlet flow path to a separator, separating the fluid from the gas into to separate outlet flow paths from the separator, and remote controllably regulating flow of the fluid and the gas in the inlet path. The remote control preferably includes a web based server-client computer system. The method also includes comparatively sensing pressure of gas about a restricted region of the outflow path, and controllably, preferably remotely, regulating flow rate of the fluid and the gas in the inlet path in response to the sensed pressures and in accordance with a predetermined flow rate. Additionally, the method may include the adding of a flow enhancing additive to the well via remote control.
Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon viewing the drawings and reading the detailed description hereafter.